


happy birthday jackle

by missreala



Category: NiGHTS into Dreams, ナイツ 〜星降る夜の物語〜 | NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25685995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missreala/pseuds/missreala
Summary: birfday boy
Kudos: 6





	happy birthday jackle

"Look at me, Prophet." Wizeman's booming voice echoed through the chamber.

The prophet was on his hands and knees, breathing shakily, a strange yet familiar voice resounding within his own head with one single word:

_Jackle._

Jackle grasped at his chest, where his heart would have been if he were a Visitor, eyes wide. A hundred realities pressed down on him at once, Wizeman's command unintelligible through it all. It was incredible - the voices, the faces, the colors, the emotions. It was horrifying. Had his existence always been like this? Had he ever existed before today? He couldn't be sure.

"Look. At. Me." Wizeman repeated, and Jackle felt a massive finger lift his chin. He bared his teeth instinctually with a snarl. His gaze was brought up to meet the hand-eye before him. 

It was too much.

The eye's crimson-gold washed over Jackle, and he lost track of his body. He thought he might be Wizeman. Through an ancient, memory-tinted gaze, he saw it: the forest, the blue painted faces, the smell of fire and blood. A terror that cut through him like a vicious winter wind. All of it crashed into Jackle's mind in a cacophonous ocean. He was trapped in the eyes of a human running, running, running through twilight forest, ancient oaks and alders flying past. He came to a clearing with a dark lake and the body threw itself onto the shore. Facing the water, he looked at the body's sallow, boyish face, twisted with rage and terror.

 _"Get out!"_ it screamed.

"GET OUT!" Wizeman roared.

Jackle was flung through the air, blinded by a flash of light as he made impact with the wall and felt a few things break. Silently he fell, paralyzed. Hurtling freely toward whatever lay beneath the chamber, he was barely aware of pieces of himself crumbling away, lost to the void.

\-------------------- 

Mut drifted through the shadowy solitude of the Underlands, seemingly unphased by the rain droplets streaming across her pale skin. Her gilded copper claws glinted in the hazy moonlight. Her vibrant pink eyes scanned the landscape of stone ruins. It was never easy to come here by yourself, but Mut would do anything to help her fellow monster. If permitted by her master, of course.

She spotted it in a flash of lightning: a bright orange hand laying upside down in a puddle, stained with mud. Her shoulders sagged with disappointment. Of course the new one hadn't survived - she should have guessed that, what kind of creature could live through Wizeman's wrath? What a waste. 

The hand flipped over onto its fingers with a splash, drawing a sharp gasp from Mut. It scuttled away from her and up a short pillar, where it slipped under a large mantle Mut hadn't noticed before, lying limply over the stone. She tapped her claws together apprehensively as a handful of other pieces made their way to the mantle.

Invisible shoulders formed underneath the mantle. It pushed itself up, untucking its head from beneath the fabric. It crouched atop the pillar like a cat and looked at Mut. It said nothing, and its blue eyes contained neither ferocity nor friendliness. 

Gingerly, Mut approached.

"You survived. This must really be something." she breathed, reaching out to touch the mantle shrouding its missing body.

"What's your name, Prophet?" Mut asked.

The prophet said nothing.

"I promise I'll teach you how to be a good Nightmaren if you tell me your name." Mut pressed, cupping his face in a clawed hand, only to remove it when he bared his teeth.

"Jackle." his voice was hoarse.

Mut smiled, wondering how broken he could possibly be.


End file.
